News

2011-12-14 08:57:13.743

Fulton Man Wins $50,000 With Power Play

A Fulton man added Power Play to his Missouri Lottery Powerball ticket to turn a $10,000 prize into $50,000. Antonio Albarico matched four white-ball numbers and the Powerball number in the Dec. 10 drawing. He added Power Play to the Quick Pick ticket he bought at Gasper’s, 3325 County Road 211, in Kingdom City. Because of that decision, the prize of $10,000 was multiplied by the Power Play number of five, netting him a $50,000 win.

Albarico found out about his good fortune the morning after the drawing.

“Sunday morning,” began Albarico, “I was checking the numbers on my computer.”

“He checked it four times,” laughed his wife, Zephia Jean.

The couple retired to Missouri from California about 10 years ago. Albarico has been playing the Lottery for years, and still believes he lost a winning Lottery ticket back in California. He said he bought a ticket and put it in the visor of his car only to watch it fly out of the window on his way home. A winning jackpot that was sold at the same place he bought his ticket was never claimed.

“That had to be my winning ticket that blew out the window!” he exclaimed.

This win was something of a validation for Albarico. He said the money would be used to “pay bills” and possibly finance a new vehicle.

He’ll keep playing the Lottery, and Zephia Jean said that if they win again, they’ll buy a house in California to spend the winters. That way, they can split time between their 13 great-grandchildren in the two states.

“I’ll play the Powerball, and you play the Mega Millions,” Albarico suggested to his wife. “And play the Megaplier. It’s just like Powerball’s Power Play.

“It’d be nice to hit them both on the same day, huh?” he added with a laugh.

Powerball is a multi-lottery Draw Game with jackpots that start at $20 million. For an extra $1 at the time of purchase, players can add Power Play to their ticket and multiply any non-jackpot prizes by a Power Play number selected during the drawing.

Changes are coming to Powerball on Jan. 15. At that time, the Power Play number will be removed in favor of fixed prizes for tickets with Power Play. The prize for matching four white-ball numbers and the Powerball number with Power Play will be $40,000.